Norman Horrocks Memorial

The profession has lost one of our great ones.  He will long be remembered as ALA's corporate memory.  His compassion to others, his familiarity with the bylaws and gentle humor will be greatly missed.

Christine Lind Hage

I am so very saddened to learn of Norman's passing.  I have known Norman for almost 20 years and he was, as many have stated, a wonderfully kind mentor, colleague and friend. Over the years he took the time to contact me about various ALA issues and writing ideas, the most recent, regarding publishing my dissertation. In 2009 I was honored to receive the Equality Award, and was able to spend time with Norman as the representative of Scarecrow Press.  I treasure each and every time Norman was kind enough to share advice about ALA, scholarship, and publishing and feel very fortunate to have had his influence in my life.  

My Teacher of

How to Lead & Manage,

I Learned much by your fine example

In the classroom

In our phone meetings

And in your element

At the ALA Conferences

Especially on the Council floor

I trusted you implicitly

I greatly appreciated

Your many words of encouragement

More than I could ever express

In words of my own

I will miss you greatly

As will many others

I do have faith

That you are still

In your "element"

In very good Hands

In a very good Place

Love,

Janice

It was with great sadness that I learned of Norman's passing. He was so much to so many people, a fountain of information on all things ALA and much more. In my early days being active in ALA I was a Council "junkie" because my job did not allow me to take enough days to stay the full time at both Annual and Midwinter once Annual settled into June. At every conference I would sit in the back of the Council chamber and watch with great interest. I always sat not far from Norman so I could go to him when something puzzled me. He would always take the time to explain what was going on on the floor and what policies or bylaws were involved. I learned so much from these chats with Norman that when I was finally able to run for council and was elected I felt right at home from day one. But Norman was so much more than just a source of information. He was a dear friend and I will miss seeing and talking with him. I was delighted to learn that he liked my favorite hotel in Amsterdam when I went to IFLA and walked into the Kras to register and there was Norman having tea. He was truely a gentleman and a gentle man and will be greatly missed by all his ALA family and I offer my sympathy to his actual family. Know that Norman was loved by so many people and will be missed.

Peg Oettinger, MLS (Retired)

Norman was truly a gentleman, a gentle man and a gentleman.  I doubt if he ever knew how much he positively influenced everyone he knew, everyone who knew him.  He impressed me as someone who just did what he did because he could do no less.  He didn't do it for fame or fortune or recognition.  He did what he did out of love.

 Don and Lois Ann

Norman was a friend, colleague, and mentor.  The international library world and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and view points will miss him.   His contributions were many and he will long be remembered.

He was a gentleman and a scholar, a wise, witty, wonderful man, and a blessing to us professionally and personally. He was all kindness to a very green and inexperienced councilor once upon a time, and in all the intervening years always had time for a chat and a hug and a word of encouragement. He made the world a better place. I will treasure his memory.
 
Pam Klipsch

Norman influenced so many of our lives in ways that cannot be measured.  His genuine love for the profession, sharp wit, impeccable memory, caring mentorship, and friendship elevated all of us whose lives he touched to be more dedicated and passionate in our own lives.  Norman achieved what Mahatma Gandhi envisioned when he said, "You must be the change you want to see in this world."  I am honored to have known him.

Barbara Stripling 

When my daughter was very small my mother came with me to an ALA conference. I introduced  my mother to Norman and his kindness to her was never forgotten by her. Norman had the capacity to show genuine interest in every human he encountered.

Norman won ALA's Honorary membership--our highest honor--in 2004. The citation lauded him  "for his long and distinguished career in librarianship that spans several countries and six decades; his contributions as a library educator, parliamentarian, writer, and publisher;  and his influence as a mentor to generations of librarians."

There are some special insights into Norman's influence on modern librarianship in Kenneth F. Kister's biography of Eric Moon. Kister writes of Norman's cloakroom politicking on issues of policy and his fame as master of parliamentary procedure and the policy handbook.

In 2004 John N. Berry III wrote in LJ of Norman rescuing Dewey's motto ["The best reading for the largest number, at the least cost."] at the 1988 Midwinter Meeting by explaining the history of the epigram and convincing ALA Council to reinstate it.

Norman's 2005 book with Ed Kurdyla. Perspectives, Insights & Priorities: 17 Leaders Speak Freely of Librarianship.  Scarecrow Press, 2005, brought together authors on the field he loved. One of the Dr.Horrock's final writings  on intellectual freedom appeared just a few months ago--"Librarians Must Step Up On PATRIOT Act" (LJ F 15, 2010).

These past few days I have read through the many long and short writings of Norman Horrocks who kept a steady pulse on librarianship  across many borders. Take a few minutes to enter "Norman Horrocks" into the Wilson index search engine  and read Norman's work back over the decades. You will be in awe to realize to what extent this wonderful man held  intellectual and ethical aspects of our field together across oceans and borders. Norman Horrocks was a scholar. A quiet and true way of honoring his work is to read it over the past many decades and by doing so  remember all that he was to so many of us.

--Kathleen

Kathleen de la Peña McCook, Librarian

I first met Norman when I became Director of HRDR (then OLPR) thirteen years ago.  He was a champion for assisting those who received their degrees from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in getting their credentials evaluated for work in the US.  As a novice to the issue, he “held” my hand along the way and was a fount of information.  Over the years, this dear man became not only a colleague, but a friend.  He had a way of making everyone feel important and never met a stranger.  I am so glad to have known him and my life is better for it.  It seems like only yesterday we were catching up on COE issues around the Annual Conference. Today would have been his birthday and I noted last week that I wanted to send him a note on Facebook.  He will be missed.  Rest in peace, kind Sir………… 

Lorelle Swader 

I first met Norman in 1996 when I was working on a proposal on the issue of foreign credentialing.  I took the advice from a colleague to contact Norman who sat me down and helped me understand the history, the complexity and the feasible options for the issue.

Norman was a scholar, a practitioner, and a historian.  Most of all, he was an educator. Norman practiced what he wrote. He shared what he knew with anyone who was willing to hear and without reservation. I will miss his great knowledge of this profession, his world view, his witty words and his always bright smile.

obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Norman-Horrocks&lc=3756&pid=146076091&mid=4412327

Born: October 18, 1927 Died: October 14, 2010 Send Flowers to the FamilyOffer a Condolence or MemoryPersonalize Your Tribute Funeral Service Tuesday, October 19, 2010 2:00pm St. James United Church Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Personalize Your Tribute Create a personal memorial to celebrate their legacy and preserve your memories for generations to come. More

Norman Horrocks HORROCKS, Norman Norman Horrocks, OC, PhD, FCILIP, Professor Emeritus School of Information Management, Dalhousie University. Born Manchester, England, October 18, 1927. Died Halifax, Nova Scotia October 14, 2010, aged 82. Norman began his career in libraries in Manchester England from 1945 – 53, interrupted by three years in the British Army's Intelligence Corps. He then worked in Cyprus, Western Australia, and Pittsburgh, PA before joining Dalhousie in 1971. He became Director of the School of Library and Information Studies (now the School of Information Management) and was later Dean of the Faculty of Management. He left Halifax in 1986 to become Editorial Vice President of Scarecrow Press in Metuchen, NJ, where he also was an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, until he returned to Nova Scotia in 1995. In 2006 Norman was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his lifetime devotion to library and information science. In 2004 Norman was awarded the International Kaula Gold Medal and was the only person to have been elected to Honorary Membership in the three national library associations - Canadian, British and American. Norman also received awards from the American Library Association, the Association for Library and Information Science Education, the Atlantic Provinces Library Association, Beta Phi Mu (the International honour society for library and information studies), Dalhousie University School of Information Management Association Alumni, the New Jersey Library Association, the Nova Scotia Library Association and both Pittsburgh and Rutgers Universities. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of Library Science the Nova Scotia Library Association established the Norman Horrocks Award for Library leadership in 2003.  Norman was an enthusiastic pioneer of social networking. His ability to remember names and faces, to make connections across continents; in person, by email and via the sharing of newspaper clippings will long be remembered by his students, colleagues, family and friends.  In addition to his professional career Norman was an active community member, volunteering with the Dartmouth Heritage Museum, Halifax Regional Public Libraries, and Banook Canoe Club. Paramount in Norman's life was his love of soccer – he was an avid Manchester United fan. He rarely missed a game and kept up with the scores even in hospital. Norman is survived by wife Sandra, children Julie (Cameron Shelley and their daughter Corinna), Guelph, ON; Scott (sons Carl and Logan), Ottawa; Gina, New Mexico; Annie (Rob Baert, children Nick, Bethany, Lily), Dartmouth; Sarah (children Sammy, Elijah, Caleb and Chloe), Cole Harbour. Norman is also survived by many relatives in the United Kingdom, including his sisters Muriel Jacquin and Elsie Quinn and brother in law Philip Humphreys. Norman was predeceased by his parents; Edward and Annie (Barnes), and his sister Doris Humphreys. Special thanks to the nurses and staff on floor 8.1 of the Halifax Infirmary, who took such good care of Norman and his family during his illness. A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, October 19th at Saint James United Church, 181 Portland Street Dartmouth, Reverend Glenn MacLean officiating. As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to the